Huskers Fall to Texas-San Antonio

Lincoln, Neb. - Texas-San Antonio rallied to score three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to hand the Huskers a 4-3 loss at Nelson Wolff Stadium in San Antonio, Texas, Friday.

Husker starter Chad Wiles looked like he was going to roll to his third victory this season after allowing just three hits and one run through the first seven innings. But UTSA had three hits to mount a charge in the eighth.

After Jeremy James singled off Wiles to start the eighth inning, Head Coach Dave Van Horn brought in junior reliever Brian Rodaway. Hunter Wenzel bunted for a single and Van Horn elected to bring in R.D. Spiehs to close the door. Spiehs retired Brette Parrish on a sacrice bunt for the second out, but walked Ryan Smith to load the bases. Mike Putnicki's double to left center field cleared the bases, giving Texas-San Antonio the 4-3 lead. Nebraska managed just one hit in the ninth against starter Stace Pape who earned the complete game victory.

The Huskers lost for the first time in five games and fell to 4-3 on the season. Van Horn said he was disappointed with his team's effort.

"I'm not going to get down on our relievers," Van Horn said. "But you just hate to waste an outstanding pitching performance from Chad Wiles. He was great. He was hitting his spots all night long. The fact is, the top five guys in the lineup didn't get the job done. The team's frustrated right now."

Nebraska had eight hits in the game, but the top five hitters in NU's lineup accounted for just one of those, going 1-for-19 at the plate with five strikeouts. The Huskers' Brandt Vlieger, Dan Wright and Adam Stern (the six, seven and eight hitters in the lineup) combined for the rest of NU's seven hits. Stern led the way with three hits and drove in a run. Wright went 2-for-3 and scored two runs.

Nebraska scored its first run in the third inning after a lead-off single from Wright. After Stern beat out a bunt for a single, Jamal Strong loaded up the bases with a single. With one out, Adam Shabala beat out a double play and Wright scored on the play.

The Huskers tacked on their last two runs in the fourth, getting three consecutive hits, including a two RBI single from Stern to score Vlieger and Wright. Nebraska didn't have many other opportunities as the Huskers had just two hits after the fourth inning.

Spiehs (0-1) was charged with the loss, while Pape earned the win for UTSA and improved to 1-1. Nebraska is the fifth Big 12 school the Roadrunners have faced this season. UTSA beat Texas A&M in its season opener, lost three games to Kansas, one to Texas and one to Baylor.

Nebraska and the Roadrunners continue the three-game series tomorrow at 2 p.m. Jamie Rodrigue (0-1) is the scheduled starter for the Huskers on Saturday.